Come to Lend a Hand or a Paw
by Jenncat
Summary: Matt, Hana, and Ted find a new ally in their search for information on HRG. Second in my Bleach and Heroes crossover series.


Title: Come to Lend a Hand . . . or a Paw

Author: Jenncat (mindwarp on LJ)

Fandoms: Bleach/Heroes

Characters: Matt Parkman, Ted Sprague, Hana Gitelman, Yoruichi (with a few surprises at the end)

Rating: PG/K+

Genre: Gen

Spoilers: through Unexpected for Heroes, and through the latest manga chapters for Bleach (I really mean this)

Warnings: This is a sequel to my previous crossover, Fathers Know Best. You don't have to read that first, but it may help.

Summary: Matt, Hana, and Ted find a new ally in their search for information on HRG.

Author's Notes: The first few lines are from Unexpected, as I saw a Behind the Scenes clip from it on YouTube courtesy of heroesblog. The rest goes off from there, as this series of mine starts to seriously deviate from canon. Lines in parenthesis are thoughts. Dialogue is meant to be English except for the last section (where names are also done in Japanese order as well). For those who aren't familiar with Japanese honorifics, -sama is used for people who are very superior to the speaker. The title comes mostly from a track from the Bleach: Memories of Nobody soundtrack, which I was listening to while writing this story (in hindsight, I should have named the last story after a song from the first Bleach OST, "ditty for daddy" :) ). Thanks again to Dragonsinger for beta reading this.

Disclaimer: Heroes (and half of my brain) belongs to Tim Kring, his team, and NBC/Viacom. Bleach (and the other half of my brain) belongs to Kubo Tite, Shueisha, TV Tokyo, Studio Pierrot, Dentsu, Viz, and maybe Adult Swim/Cartoon Network. I own nothing (not even my brain any more), and make no profit off of this. No challenge is intended toward any existing copyrights or trademarks. Please don't sue.

* * *

Matt Parkman paced in the dark, gloomy cemetery. "Look, I only came here because you said this was a matter of life and death. So, don't start blowing anything else up, okay?" he asked. As he spoke, he turned to face a scruffy-bearded man, one he was familiar with from past investigations. Ted Sprague could indeed nuke Matt with but a thought. Granted, at least Matt would be aware of it as soon as Ted thought it, but that wouldn't save him. 

"It's going to get worse before it gets better," Ted replied. From out of the shadows, Matt could see Ted's female companion nod, her long brown hair hiding her face for a moment as she did so. Ted had introduced her as Hana Gitelman, another person like them, someone else who had unusual gifts.

"I want to take down that horn-rimmed glasses bastard as much as both of you, but we should do this within the law and contact the police. What you're proposing goes against everything I've stood for." The ex-cop shook his head in frustration.

Hana smiled slowly at him. "What about the spies who work for your own government? What about your government itself? I can hear all of their little wiretaps humming happily away, quite illegally gathering information on American citizens. What we're proposing isn't that different." She stalked right up to Matt, staring him dead on in the face. "Would you rather not use the gifts they want to exploit against them?"

(She's right, you know.)

Matt whirled around, his trained eyes trying to pierce the night. "What did you hear?" Hana hissed.

"Someone's here. A woman, listening in on us." Hana gestured to Ted to stay still, while she and Matt walked closer to the shadows.

(So, you heard my thoughts. Interesting.) "Well, I might as well not stay hidden then," a rough, deep voice said. The three people looked around, but all they saw was a black cat who had just jumped on a tombstone. The cat seemed to chuckle, then continued to speak as she waved a paw, "Over here."

The three humans stared at the cat for a long moment, while the cat seemingly calmly gazed back. Finally, Hana broke the silence, "That cat just spoke to us."

"Quite perceptive, aren't we?" the cat replied.

Matt pointed at the cat in shock. "IT'S A FRICKING TALKING CAT!!!!!!! How can you be so calm?!?" Ted just nodded slowly, his eyes wide.

Again, the cat chuckled. "Why are men so slow to adapt to change?" she asked Hana. "Every time I reveal myself, it's always the women who react far better."

"I have no idea. Who and what are you?" Hana replied.

"Well, we already know it's a freaking talking cat," Matt muttered. He couldn't believe a cat, of all things, just insulted him.

"My name is Yoruichi. I believe that we might have a common goal. You are investigating an organization possibly in part fronted by a Mr. Bennet of Odessa, Texas?"

All three humans started again. "How do you know about him?" Ted asked.

"I have my sources." Yoruichi's tail swished slowly back and forth. "This man is a possible threat to some colleagues of mine, and we wish to know more about him."

"Are these colleagues special, like us? Also, you still haven't answered my question - what are you, besides, as Matt puts it, a freaking talking cat?" Hana shot at the cat. "Forgive us, but why should we trust you, when you obviously are withholding information from us?"

If a cat could sigh, this one did. "Trust . . . is too easily given at times, too hard to earn at others. This form is better suited for this time and place. As for the ones I look out for, they are special, similar to you. Are they the same? I don't know. I'm not a scientist, but I work with one, and he wanted to see if our people are truly like the ones Mr. Bennet has been tracking. My specialities lie more with stealth and subversion. In fact, I believe our backgrounds are very similar, Hana."

"I don't recall ever hearing of any agents anywhere with that name," Hana replied.

Yoruichi grinned. "I have been doing this for far longer than you can imagine. In any case, bringing this back to how you found me, Matt, the plan is the only way I can see as well to gather more information. They are not asking you to do anything but what you have been doing all along. I was not aware that telepathic evidence is admissible in a court, but think of it as a way to gather more leads to get that evidence."

"I still don't like it," Matt groused, as he ran his hands nervously through his short, dark hair.

Ted gave Matt a smile in consolation. "Hey, it could be worse. At least we don't have to physically break into the place with you and Hana around."

"Thanks for that, man," Matt muttered.

* * *

(Matt, could you please open the door for me?) 

Matt sighed and opened the car door for Yoruichi, who leapt in his lap. She started purring as she curled up there. "You sound satisfied - and comfortable. Why me, and why does your voice sound different when you're thinking than when you're speaking?"

Yoruichi blinked. "A cat's vocal chords don't allow for the same tones as a human's, I guess. I don't know really. I just know I sound lower than my actual voice when I talk in this form."

"So, this isn't your only shape, then?" Hana pounced.

"You truly do remind me of myself," Yoruichi replied. "As for my satisfaction, you may rest assured that no one will notice this car sitting out here. As for why I chose to sit on you, Matt, your lap is the most comfortable, that's why."

Ted laughed at Matt's grimace. "It's good to be the big cop, I guess."

"Shut up, Ted," Matt grumbled.

"How did you manage to keep us from being noticed?" Hana asked.

Yoruichi stretched, and then started to clean herself. "You won't believe me, but magic."

"Riiight," Matt drawled. "And will you stop that? Your claws are getting too close to certain parts of my anatomy that I want to keep intact, thank you very much."

Yoruichi moved her front legs in what could only be described as a shrug. She jumped into Ted's lap instead. "Very well, since you and Hana really do need to concentrate. Please remember, both of you, to listen for the list of names I gave you."

Hana nodded, as she laid her head back against the seat and started to sift through all of the information wirelessly floating around her. Her lips pulled into a tight grin as she found the right data streams leading her to what she wanted to see. Her hands gently caressed the laptop in front of her as she quietly duplicated the files and rerouted the copies to it.

Meanwhile, Matt took a moment to look at the seemingly abandoned warehouse across the street from them to get his bearings. He then closed his eyes and tried to shut out the minds in the car with him, listening only for the ones in the building. A babble of jumbled words filled his head almost to overflowing. Suddenly, one mind jumped into clarity. (Parkman is here. I must let him know.) Static followed.

"What is going on?" Hana glared at Matt.

Matt blinked. "I didn't know that Haitian guy could even use words in his head. Anyway, he's here, and he's blocking us now."

"Ted, be ready to cover us if need be," Hana snapped as she closed her laptop and started the car. Ted nodded, turning to look out the back window as they sped away. "Yoruichi, I thought you said they couldn't detect us."

The cat glared back at the driver. "I said they wouldn't notice the car. Matt, when this is over, I suggest that you come to Japan, to a city called Karakura. You need training badly, as your lack of it is what allowed this Haitian to detect you. If you go there, I will make sure you get that training."

The car drove on for a half hour, before stopping back at the cemetery. As soon as Hana parked, she pulled up her laptop and flipped it open. "At least the data is secure. I was able to get the information we were looking for. Their encryption needs some work."

Yoruichi leaned her forepaws on the driver's seat and peered at the screen. "Good. Can you reencrypt a copy of the files and email them to getaboshi at jyuunibantai.seireitei.jp? My scientist colleague will analyze them."

"Remember, though, that you promise to share your findings with us," Ted said as he scratched behind Yoruichi's ears.

Yoruichi purred happily. "For this ear scratch, I believe I will remember, yes."

Matt looked at the files, and then turned to look at the cat, who was practically melting in Ted's hands. "Why did you want that info, anyway? I saw Karakura and Japan mentioned in a number of files, but what about Claire Bennet? Why her? She's a sweet kid, even if her dad's a scumbag."

"Her father is looking at our children. We will therefore look at his." Yoruichi's tone brooked no arguments. "In any case, I must be getting back to Karakura, much as this is very pleasurable. Ted, if you could please open the door." Ted sighed at having to stop petting her, and did as asked. "Hana, watch for an email from Kisuke Urahara at that address I gave you for the results." With that, Yoruichi leapt out of the car. The three humans stared first at her as she seemingly leapt again into the sky and vanished, and then at each other in amazement.

* * *

Aizen Sousuke sat in his oversized chair and brooded over the latest intelligence from the living world. His servants watched him warily out of the corners of their eyes. Finally, he spoke. "Bring me Zaera Polo." When he spoke, his servants acted. 

A few minutes later, the summoned one appeared, nervously straightening his glasses and pushing back his shoulder-length pink hair. "You asked for me, Aizen-sama?"

"Go to this location in the living world, and find out why Shihouin Yoruichi was spotted here along with three humans, attempting to use kidou to keep from being detected. Her kidou might have fooled humans, but not our forces." He smiled slowly. It appeared pleasant, but it chilled Zaera Polo to the bone. "Anything that interests Yoruichi interests me. She might have found something to use against us. I want to see if we can find a new weapon in return. It is always good to have as many options as possible. Now, go, and do not disappoint me again." Zaera Polo bowed deeply, and backed out of the faux throne room as fast as possible.


End file.
